Arab Man 'Falls' from Window After Selling Land to Israel?

63-year-old man, who died after "falling from window," was being investigated by PA for having "sold land to Israel."

By Rachel Hirshfeld

First Publish: 7/16/2012, 8:51 AM

Police patrol (file)

Israel news photo: Flash 90

A retired Arab security officer died on Sunday of injuries sustained after “falling” from a third-floor window while in custody.

The 63-year-old man, identified by one source as Ahmed Mansour, was pronounced dead at a Ramallah hospital, where he was transported after suffering serious injuries, with one source saying it was unclear if he had fallen or was pushed to his death for allegedly selling land to Israel. Another source said he jumped.

"This citizen is a retired security officer who was being held by the intelligence services in Ramallah on suspicion of corruption involving the sale of land," a security source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"He fell from a building and died, but we do not know if he fell or was pushed," the source added.

The details were confirmed by a second security source, who said the man was being investigated on suspicion of having "manipulated land records and sold land to Israel." Mansour had been charged with returning land that had been sold to Jews.

Medical sources said the man's body was taken to the Institute for Forensic Medicine in Abu Dis, an Arab town in Area B (PA jurisdiction except for security, which is under IDF) near Jerusalem, for an autopsy, according to AFP.